Any Taliban Deal Must Be In Writing, Says Pakistan Defence Minister

In a statement, the ministry said the situation was swiftly brought under control and that the ceasefire between the two sides remains in effect.

Earlier, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistani forces of firing on Taliban border units in Spin Boldak, Kandahar, while negotiations were under way in Istanbul. Mujahid said Taliban fighters refrained from returning fire “out of respect for our negotiating team and to prevent civilian casualties.”

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said Islamabad remains committed to ongoing talks and expects Taliban officials to take a similar approach.

The incident marks the first exchange of fire since last month’s ceasefire agreement in Doha. During four days of talks in Istanbul, both sides agreed to extend the truce, but Islamabad has warned it will take stronger action if the Taliban fail to curb cross-border militant attacks originating from Afghan territory.

The county has called for an end to cross-border militant attacks originating from Afghanistan. The mediators, Islamabad said, will raise these concerns directly with the Taliban delegation.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andarabi told reporters that Pakistan’s principal demand is a halt to “cross-border terrorism.”

The third round of talks between the Taliban and Pakistan began Thursday afternoon in Istanbul. Pakistani officials said their delegation presented a detailed list of demands on the first day in separate meetings with the mediators and Taliban representatives.

Pakistani media, citing official sources, reported that Islamabad’s key demands include preventing militant infiltration from Afghanistan, taking concrete action against anti-Pakistan groups based on Afghan soil, and an official Taliban declaration distancing itself from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Pakistan is also seeking written guarantees from the Taliban that they will curb the activities of anti-Pakistan militants in Afghanistan and formally designate the TTP as a terrorist organisation.

The current round of talks is being attended by senior officials, including Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief, Lt. Gen. Asim Malik, and Abdul Haq Wasiq, head of the Taliban’s intelligence agency. Analysts say the involvement of high-ranking figures is intended to overcome the stalemate from the second round, which ended without results.

The first round of talks in Doha led to an immediate ceasefire, while the second round in Istanbul failed to produce an agreement.

Despite renewed efforts, the negotiations remain fragile, and it is unclear whether the third round will yield a breakthrough.

As the talks began Thursday, border forces from both sides exchanged fire in Spin Boldak, Kandahar, killing at least five people. Each side accused the other of initiating the clash.

The Taliban and Pakistan have blamed each other for initiating the fighting.

The incident occurred as the third round of Taliban–Pakistan talks opened in Türkiye, a development AFP said is likely to further complicate the already sensitive negotiations.

An official at the Spin Boldak regional hospital, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the dead included four women and one man. Six others were wounded. No information has yet been released regarding Pakistani casualties.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, said Pakistani troops once again opened fire on Taliban forces in Spin Boldak on Thursday evening. He said Taliban fighters did not return fire “out of respect for our negotiation team and to prevent civilian casualties.”

Local sources earlier told Afghanistan International that Pakistani border guards and Taliban forces had exchanged gunfire in the area. Videos obtained by Afghanistan International captured sounds of shooting and showed residents fleeing the scene.

Spin Boldak, one of the most volatile border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan, has seen repeated clashes in recent years.

Videos from the area captured the sound of gunfire and showed residents fleeing. According to the sources, the shooting occurred near the border gate. Several witnesses said Pakistani troops initiated the exchange and fired multiple mortar rounds into Afghan territory. They added that Taliban forces had not yet responded.

Neither Taliban nor Pakistani officials have commented on the incident.

Residents expressed fears that the fighting could escalate, with some leaving their homes for safer areas. Footage received by Afghanistan International shows panic among civilians, including women and children fleeing the clashes.

Spin Boldak is one of the most sensitive border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan and has seen repeated clashes in recent years.

The incident comes as the two sides begin their third round of negotiations in Istanbul, aimed at sustaining the ceasefire and reaching a broader agreement.

Pakistan is seeking decisive action against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), while the Afghan Taliban are emphasising respect for Afghanistan’s territorial integrity. Representatives from Qatar and Türkiye are attending the discussions, which are aimed at preventing the fragile truce from collapsing.

Narges Hurakhsh, Afghanistan International’s correspondent in Türkiye, reported that media access to the venue is heavily restricted, underscoring the sensitivity of the negotiations. The first and second rounds, held in Doha and Istanbul, were also conducted behind closed doors.

The Taliban delegation arrived in Istanbul around midnight, followed by the Pakistani delegation early Thursday morning.

According to Afghanistan International’s reporter, expectations for this round remain low, though Qatar and Türkiye are working to maintain communication between the sides and prevent a breakdown of the ceasefire.

Pakistan has warned that if negotiations fail, a military confrontation could follow.

Jawad Hamdani, Afghanistan International’s correspondent in Islamabad, reported that Pakistani officials are not optimistic about the talks, citing ongoing disagreements over how to contain TTP.

Pakistan is demanding that the Taliban curb the TTP’s activities, while the Taliban insist that Pakistan must respect Afghanistan’s airspace and territorial sovereignty.

The Doha talks resulted in a temporary ceasefire and a halt to border clashes, but the second round in Istanbul ended without progress.